Thursday, January 27, 2011

Kodiak fisherman sentenced for observer threats

From the U.S. attorney's office in Anchorage:

Jan. 27, 2011

Kodiak fisherman sentenced for threatening an observer

ANCHORAGE — U.S. Attorney Karen Loeffler announced today that a commercial fisherman based in Kodiak was sentenced in federal court in Anchorage for violating the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act by threatening a fisheries observer.

On Jan. 11, Jeffrey Eugene Scott, 45, a resident of Kodiak, was sentenced by U.S. Magistrate Judge Deborah M. Smith to three years probation, with strict conditions to control his interactions with fisheries observers. He will also serve 100 hours of community service and be evaluated for anger management treatment.

Scott's conviction followed his pleas of guilty to two misdemeanor counts.

According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder, Scott was operator of the fishing vessel Dusk and was being investigated for dumping 75 tons of fish in Kodiak Harbor on Oct. 7, 2009.

On that day, Scott saw the fisheries observer assigned to his vessel attempting to depart the North Pacific Seafoods facility in Kodiak. He charged the vehicle she was in, pounded on the car, pointed and screamed at her using foul language, then yelled, "I'm gonna get you."

Later the same day, in a meeting with law enforcement officers, Scott stated that if he saw the observer in town, not acting in her official capacity, he could do whatever he wanted to her.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Office of Law Enforcement, Alaska Enforcement Division (Kodiak office) conducted the investigation leading to the conviction in this case.

8 comments:

  1. Wesley,
    This is exactly the right outcome! No violence in commercial fisheries management. Period. So why won't Jim Balsiger use that same standard with his own people at IPHC. Greg Williams tried to run me down with his shiny, gold Acura last week in the parking lot of Magnolia Food Mart (Union 76 station) right behind Bob Alverson's office at the C-3 Building. Then Greg jumped out of his car and screamed at me, "Tom Casey! Tom Casey, I could have run you over." like he was on meth or crack cocaine. When I asked Balsiger by e-mail if Greg would be admonished or get a pass from him for such recklessness,Balsiger said Yes, Greg would get a pass. Serious double standard there, Jim, and you own it. It's insane to wink at violence or the threat of violence in this day and age. Wake up and smell the coffee, Jim. This recklessness is happening on your watch, Bro! Come back to the real world as soon as possible. This is the second time one of your employees has gotten violent with me. Jim Ianelli at AFSC being the first. You've become a serial-Denier, Jim, not a healthy trait in such a high-level manager of any federal organization.
    Regards,Tom Casey tcasey77@gmail.com

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  2. Important to note that F/V Dusk is Al Burch's and this kind of behavior within the Kodiak Trawl fleet is the norm. This group repeatedly attempts to intimidate and coerce, so as to hide what trawl is really doing on the grounds. Jeff Scott is still being investigated for transferring to the F/V Odessey( Paul Randall-Dusk crewman)up to 60 thousand pounds of pacific cod(fish caught while flatfishing)and delivered as jig caught fish. SEE A PATTERN??????? Pay attention to your employees Al.

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  3. Tom, try this link.

    http://www.google.com/Top/Society/Support_Groups/Opposing_Views/

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  4. This is typical trawler behavior. Watch ADF&G and NMFS ignore it so the draggers can get back to destoying halibut, crab, salmon and everything else in their way.

    The processors are complicit as they love high volume, low ex-vessel price fisheries.

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  5. This is for the person who posted at 10:53 am

    Oh Lord it's hard to be humble
    when you're perfect in every way.
    I can't wait to look in the mirror
    cause I get better loking each day.
    To know me is to love me
    I must be a hell of a man.
    Oh Lord it's hard to be humble
    but I'm doing the best that I can.
    I used to have a girlfriend
    but she just couldn't compete
    with all of these love starved women
    who keep clamoring at my feet.
    Well I prob'ly could find me another
    but I guess they're all in awe of me.
    Who cares, I never get lonesome
    cause I treasure my own company.

    ReplyDelete
  6. 1220 dude...not saying better than anyone else, pointing out what you wish joe public not to see or read. We live with trawler misdeeds and suffer as managers punish all non trawl users. IPHC just accepted huge cuts to the directed halibut fishery yet trawl embarks on 2011 version of kill everything in your path. And you accept this bycatch as a reasonable cost of doing business.....screw all other users I got mine. Enjoy your spring down in Newport.

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  7. "Later the same day, in a meeting with law enforcement officers, Scott stated that if he saw the observer in town, not acting in her official capacity, he could do whatever he wanted to her."

    Just a nice fisherman guy, trying his best to make Kodiak look good. Move along folks, mothing important here.......

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  8. This friggin moron is currently working on deck in Kodiak....figure he is taking good care of all that bycatch? This is why many of us know that trawl sector is unwilling to police themselves and boot this piece of s&%# to the curb. Ain't happening,I bet Al Burch will employ him again after his penance.

    ReplyDelete